‘Survivor: Caramoan’ Power Rankings: Merge Edition

Quick Note: We’re going to be bringing you all kinds of “Survivor” fun this season including episode recaps, exit interviews, and Power Rankings with Michael Skupin. Be sure to follow me on Twitter (@gordonholmes) for up-to-the-minute news and info.

The Rules: Each week Michael and Gordon will create separate Power Rankings. The ranking of the person who is voted out of the next episode will determine the number of points the two players will earn. For example, if Dawn is voted out this week, Michael will receive 9 points and Gordon will receive 4 points. The person with the most points at the end of the season will be crowned the ‘Survivor: Caramoan’ Power Rankings champion!

Last Week: Michael Skupin had Julia in spot twelve, while Gordon’s pinch hitter Benjamin “Coach” Wade had her in eleven. So, the current score is Team Skupin 83, Team Lightning Punch 103.

Before we kick off this week’s rankings, let’s check in with our competitors…

Gordon Holmes: It seems like the faves are ready to wrap this thing up, but this Corinne/Phillip thing could cause some trouble.Michael Skupin: Sometimes very social players get lulled into forgetting that the game is afoot. Even a veteran like Corinne is losing her edge after three weeks of island living. She’s trying so hard to “save” Michael, she’s losing or may have lost her place in the favorites’ alliance. Phillip is sure to tell all who will listen about Corinne’s new found friend…regardless of sexual preference…that’s just questionable gameplay, especially from such a good player.

Holmes: Any parting words for Julia?Skupin: Goodbye, racecar Julia. I think kids like you better than vanilla. The one guy that had your back you turned on. You keep saying the game made you adjust your strategy. I hope not making alliances wasn’t one of the adjustments, those are pretty critical out there. You outted Phillip to his own alliance, big move or not so smart, your only hope was in the Phillip, Corinne, Michael disruption. You needed to throw fire on that. Instead, you get an unlimited supply of ice-cream – any flavor.

1. Brenda: If Brenda was auditioning for “Dancing with the Stars,” she may have gotten their attention. We didn’t see much of her other than her shake and shimmy on the bench as the Gota tribe brought home the bacon. Although it’s subtle, I bet she’s is making very strong bonds out there.

1. Malcolm: Welcome to the merge, Mr. Freberg. As you well know, this is the point in the game where physical strength becomes a strategic weakness. However, I’m not worried about you, because you have several options alliance-wise and you have an immunity idol stashed in your buff.

2. Malcolm: Malcolm revives the “Rooster Alliance” that backfired on Matt, Mike, and Jay on season 24 “One World.” He invites the unsuspecting Reynold, Eddie, and Erik. Although I’m not ultra optimistic, let’s see if it works this time.

2. Cochran: You know who’s quietly having the best game so far? Cochran. (Well, the fact that I wrote that question in Cochran’s blurb was probably a giveaway.) Corinne and Phillip are dying to make the wrong moves by turning on each other, but Cochran keeps calmly steering them back in the right direction. He’s like Parvati in that his first season was decent, but his follow-up is awesome.

3. Andrea: Andrea, while enjoying the feast that resulted in a reward win, was fattening up the calves for slaughter. And while it appears many of the “winners” took a break from the game, she never stops playing.

3. Reynold: I like Reynold. I enjoyed our pre-game interview, he’s a super nice guy. I just don’t think “Survivor” is for him. The faves are going to chew him up. But, he still has an idol, so he’s safe for now.

4. Erik: As Erik laid there in a sugar coma all I could think of is I’d have been in cardiac arrest with all that sugar. A new inducted member of Malcolm’s new “Rooster Alliance” could be helpful to his game.

4. Dawn: Dawn’s in the same boat as Cochran. They’re the drama-free faves who are going to coast now that they’ve hit the merge. Let the others make the big moves while you two sit back and wait for the perfect times to assert yourself.

5. Reynold: I can’t believe I have you this high up. You’re smart and athletic but you’re letting everyone play their game. You’re likely a leader in life, but you better step up soon or I believe you’ll experience the same fate the other fans will at the hands of the more experienced players. Your ONE trump card (the hidden immunity idol), you exposed to one of the games most strategic players…because you like him or because he looks like you?

5. Andrea: Andrea could be like Dawn and Cochran. She’s someone who shouldn’t create drama, she should react to it. But, I think she feels some pressure to make moves because of the coattail rider tag she received during “Redemption Island.” Let the Corinnes and Phillips cause trouble for now.

6. Eddie: You’re still in the boys c ride but you’re certainly at the bottom of it. It doesn’t look like you’re making any new friends but I don’t see you making any enemies either.

6. Erik: I don’t know how Erik does it, but people still treat him like an adorable kid five years after Micronesia. That isn’t a bad place to be in. Keep up the cookie naps, my friend. Nobody wants to vote out their little brother.

7. Sherri: Winning gives her a break in the game. Unless she can make a big move, the Rooster Alliance will likely determine how long she uses a coconut for a pillow.

7. Brenda: Is it possible that people have forgotten that Brenda is ridiculously smart? The cheering Brenda we saw at the reward challenge isn’t anything like the cool customer we saw in Nicaragua. If so, kudos to her. She might make a good swing vote down the line.

8. Cochran: His name has still never come up. It appears like he’s everyone’s sounding board out there when they want to vent. So far, that’s a very safe spot. His tribe is slowly dying while Gota is becoming stronger every day out there. A merge couldn’t happen soon enough for his game.

8. Sherri: I don’t know if anyone needed this merge as much as Sherri did. If the guys were going to call the shots at Gota, she would’ve been the next to go.

9. Dawn: If she can prevent WW3 between Phillip and Corinne, she can bring what’s left of the favorites alliance back together and salvage the old team. Now that she has her emotions under control, her game has been flawless.

9. Michael: Cochran had a good point last week when he said that Corinne wanting to be your buddy could be bad for you. Not because Corinne isn’t hilarious, but because breaking up couples seems to be the order of the day this season. However, now that the faves are back together, they can all discuss what to do about this newsome twosome. (I’m aware that “newsome” isn’t a word.)

10. Phillip: You did throw a challenge, you’d never throw a challenge, you did throw a challenge… if confusing us is your strategy, you’re succeeding! Although the physical part of the game is beginning to take its toll, because of your secret agent training you’re still a challenge threat. You handed Julia a golden egg and she dropped it. Play nice with Corinne and you could enjoy many more sunsets out there.

10. Eddie: Everybody likes Eddie. And why wouldn’t they? He’s a good guy. But, he’s also the buffest dude on the beach and that’s bad news after a merge.

11. Michael: Your “long strand of hell” continues…as does your ”Denise-like” streak of surviving Tribal Councils. Your new “friendship without benefits” with Corinne may have been your undoing. Please stop forgetting you’re playing “Survivor” for a million bucks here, brother!

11. Phillip: It looks like finishing up the Phillip/Corinne feud might take precedence over getting rid of the remaining fans. I don’t know which way they’re going to go, but I know I’d much rather sit in front of a jury with Phillip than with Corinne.

12. Corinne: Telegraphing alliances without disclose were Phillip’s words and the advice of every former player. Let Phillip bury himself and stay solid with Cochran and Dawn if you want to keep waking up with crabs in your curls.

12. Corinne: Corinne said that people think Phillip is running things because the other faves put up with his silliness. Will they put up with his silliness if it involves getting rid of Corinne? Who knows? We already know Andrea is up for it.